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“Joblessness has become more widespread, wages have become more depressed, contractualization has become more rampant, and trade-union rights have become more repressed. Juan and Juana dela Cruz became poorer and more frequently hungry.”
BULATLAT SPECIAL REPORT:
Like their students, the young teachers of Alcadev are just as afraid and traumatized. But the tragedy was the crucible that strengthened their resolve to continue to serve and teach the Lumad youth.
“Principles, not plunder. Platform, not personality.”
“All we want is for our children to know how to read, write and have a better life ahead of them. The Lumad took a stand to protect the environment and give our children education but they don’t want us to do that. The government and the capitalists want us to remain uneducated, primitive and weak.”
“Palawan has 17 key biodiversity areas, two World Heritage sites, and virtually the whole province - consisting of 1,780 islands - is a virtual protected area, protected by so many laws.”
Progressives say APEC 2015 in the Philippines is just a costly gathering of government leaders to forge agreements that would further impoverish the masses of people in the Asia Pacific region.
In spite of military denials of links with paramilitary groups, Army soldiers and the paramilitary group Alamara continue to hold sway in southern Mindanao.
“We will fight for this, because we do not want others to be victimized.”
“You cannot be a datu and stay in the lowlands.”
“They think that because they threaten us, we would be silenced.”
“Paramilitaries in Mindanao have been terrorizing tribal people, while the military, at best, does nothing.”
“There is no truth that I was released because my case went through a democratic process. If so, there should have never been a case against me. I should not have been imprisoned. And my daughter would not have died.”
Japan’s new security laws amends its pacifist constitution.
“Military occupation of civilian institutions and killing of civilians...are unacceptable, deplorable and contrary to international human rights and international humanitarian standards.”
A study by the Save the Children said the country had dropped to “sub-Saharan levels” of malnutrition.
“The workers are continuing his fight for just wages and decent jobs.”
“We believe that no real freedom and peace will prosper in the Philippines if our state forces remain to be the number one human rights violator.”
BULATLAT SPECIAL REPORT:
As “force multipliers” for the Philippine Army, paramilitary groups were also multipliers of its human rights abuses in the past four decades.
Every night, they would hear the door open. When soldiers hit the door with truncheons, they knew one of them would be taken out.
“We have no discord, they are our brothers...but when the military armed them, they no longer recognize us as kin. And it hurts, because Lumads are being killed by other Lumads.”
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